Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यद्यपि स्याद्दुराचारः सर्वाशी सर्वविक्रयी । सुपर्णाख्यस्य देवस्य पुरतः श्रद्धयाऽन्वितः

Transliteration

yadyapi syāddurācāraḥ sarvāśī sarvavikrayī | suparṇākhyasya devasya purataḥ śraddhayā'nvitaḥ

Translation

وإن كان الرجل سيّئ السلوك—يأكل كلَّ شيء ويبيع كلَّ شيء—فإنه إذا وقف أمام الإله المسمّى «سوبرْنا» (Suparṇa) مقرونًا بالإيمان والخشوع، صار أهلًا للتطهير الموعود في السياق.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Clause marker/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle: if)

• अपि: even; though
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (particle: even/though)

• स्यात्: should be; were
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd person, singular: may be/would be)

• दुराचारः: a person of bad conduct
• दुराचारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुराचार (प्रातिपदिक: दुर् + आचार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• सर्वाशी: eating everything; indiscriminate eater
• सर्वाशी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वाशी (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + आशी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular; qualifying दुराचारः)

• सर्वविक्रयी: selling everything; trading in all (improperly)
• सर्वविक्रयी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वविक्रयी (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + विक्रयी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular; qualifying दुराचारः)

• सुपर्णाख्यस्य: of the one named Suparṇa
• सुपर्णाख्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुपर्ण-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक: सुपर्ण + आख्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, genitive, singular; qualifying देवस्य)

• देवस्य: of the deity
• देवस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, genitive, singular)

• पुरतः: before; in the presence of
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (indeclinable adverb: in front of)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, instrumental, singular)

• अन्वितः: endowed; accompanied
• अन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि+इ (धातु) → अन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular; qualifying subject)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuity)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Suparṇa-devatā sthāna (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A morally fallen man (simple, worn attire) stands with newfound humility before a radiant deity named Suparṇa; the deity may be depicted as Garuḍa-like (eagle form) or as a divine figure with bird-emblem; attendants and lamps emphasize sanctuary and acceptance.

Characters & Entities

• Suparṇākhyadeva (deity named Suparṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faithful approach to a sacred deity-site is depicted as transformative, able to override even severe moral decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The presence of the deity called Suparṇa (Suparṇākhyadeva), indicating a specific shrine within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa sacred circuit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śraddhā-yukta darśana/attendance—approaching and standing before the deity with faith (preparatory to the vow described next).